Shrimp is a wonderful ingredient when you’re cooking for two. You can buy shrimp by the ounce so you have just enough for a meal without leftovers and you can prepare the seafood in so many ways you won’t get tired of it.
From fresh — which is rare — to cooked, peeled and ready to eat, shrimp comes in so many forms. Each preparation style has its virtues and drawbacks. Choose the preparation that suits your needs, and you’ll save time and expense.
If you’re lucky enough to find fresh shrimp in your supermarket, savor the delicate taste with a simple preparation, such as shrimp in a lemon-butter sauce.
Shrimp that’s cooked with the peel is more succulent and flavorful. If you’re preparing shrimp to use in a salad and you have the time, buy unpeeled shrimp.
Rinse the shrimp under cold water so the shrimp meat contracts slightly from the shell and is easier to remove. Start with 12 ounces of peel-on shrimp and assume you’ll lose about 2 ounces of the initial weight.
You have to peel raw shrimp you’re going to use in soup, stew or a dish with sauce. Whether you buy peeled raw shrimp or do the work yourself depends on your time and budget. Peeled shrimp are more expensive, but you’ll shave 5 minutes off preparation, if that’s important. Peeling small raw shrimp is tedious and I recommend buying the peeled product.
Shrimp have a long, dark vein that runs down the back. In small shrimp, the vein isn’t an issue; in large shrimp, the vein can be filled with grit. You can buy deveined shrimp. If you have to do the job yourself, take a small paring knife, make a slash down the back and pull out the strip.
Your supermarket fish counter also offers cooked, peeled shrimp. This is pricey and limits your options. Use precooked shrimp in salads or for appetizers. Avoid adding the shrimp to a dish you’re cooking; the results will be tough and dry.
For the following recipe of shrimp in a zesty chipotle-chili-tomato sauce, start with large shrimp and peel them before cooking.
Shrimp with chipotle-tomato sauce
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 small onion, peeled and chopped
1 garlic clove, minced
14.5-ounce can diced roasted tomatoes (see note)
1/4 teaspoon chipotle chili flakes (see note)
1/4 teaspoon crushed dried oregano
12 ounces large raw shrimp, peeled
2 teaspoons lemon juice
Salt and pepper to taste
Couscous with herbs (recipe follows)
Heat the oil in a large skillet. Add the onion and garlic and cook over medium heat for 3 minutes or until tender. Add the tomatoes with liquid, chili flakes and oregano. Reduce heat to low and simmer for 1 minute.
Add shrimp. Cover skillet and cook for 10 minutes, or until shrimp are cooked through. Stir occasionally. Stir in lemon juice, salt and pepper.
To serve, spoon couscous onto 2 plates. Top each with the shrimp and sauce. Makes 2 servings.
Note: If roasted tomatoes aren’t available, use plain diced tomatoes. Chipotle chili flakes are available in the spice section of supermarkets. If not available, substitute crushed red pepper flakes and a pinch of chili powder.
COUSCOUS
2 cups chicken broth
1 cup large pearl couscous, also called Middle Eastern couscous
2 tablespoons minced cilantro
2 tablespoons minced chives or scallions, green parts only
Bring the broth to a boil in a medium pot. Stir in the couscous. Reduce heat to low, cover and simmer for 5 minutes or until broth is absorbed and couscous is tender. Remove from heat. Stir in cilantro and chives.
Bev Bennett is the author of “30-Minute Meals for Dummies” (John Wiley & Sons).
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